Review

The final EP of the trilogy, July is immense, but only in the most atmospheric sense. As with the first two, this EP has a theme, the tragic reflections of fury and post-destruction. It certainly retains a sort of disaster-like feel because of the decrescendo from the first to last track, which makes it almost like a mini, fifteen minute journey.

July is certainly a fan favorite at live shows, hence why the band released this. It’s one of the more aggressive tracks from The Great Cold Distance with a similar structure as the other songs but with a rather interesting interlude. It comes unexpectedly and introduces a strange off beat clean pattern that leads to low, punching chords dissonant to the clean guitar, and then breaks off into a crash of drum fills and hollow guitar bends. The video is simply a performance shot, where the band is in a dimly lit room and all sweaty as the camera spastically shifts from members to random shots of clouds and negative lighting. And from here on the EP turns far left.

The Soil’s Song remix is very appropriately titled 2012 as it gives a very strong post-apocalyptic feel, easily the best song to give this makeover as the lyrics attribute to this resonance perfectly. It sounds like a completely different song honesty. Unfurl, on the other hand, is the band’s best secret. An electronic dirge with a machine-like backround and very human mask, it serves as being one of the more unexpected avenues the band has ever taken. The bass is heavily distorted, the guitars are subtle and twangy, and as the heavy synths are initiated they bring every instrument up one more level. Lyrically it’s expectedly dark but would never fit over a “typical” Katatonia song, and this gives them a special flair.

This is the furthest Katatonia has indulged in electronic influences, and came out with quality results. Perhaps it’s a glimpse into what could be added to the band’s sound, or perhaps it’s merely another outlet of expression brought about for experimentation. Either way, it continues the leap the band takes over any musical barrier they please, and now we can only hope that their writer’s block will not plague the next release.

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Chapter 3: Inside The City Of Glass

I. July

Looking outside the alley there are two leaves swaying from side to side, simply hovering above the sparkling powder, hold the sporadic brushes of vehement speech. Vapours are pouring out of a black hole in the wall, and the endless feed of human desires could only leave you in an even worse dust cloud of niches that haunt your skin. And I shriek “Look at the shell that is you; empty, fragile, weak!” but I’m only heard by the brittle passing of time, yet as I sit there in a cacophonous restlessness the world around me has absolved into a barren, placid lake where the smoke acts as embers as they swirl and dance and enter my lungs so generously. The sky is empty and retains a deep red like that of a ruby moon. Luna, you have set the mood. I can only sit along the edge of this sea that swallows the sun in a bleak, hopeless horizon.

…Breath…deeper…there is a new presence so celestial and vigorous inside this body that procures a brand new elend angel of unspoken remembrance and agonized rage. It’s violent here, oh yes, and no amount of death in anyone’s mind can pardon this reason that I still love her.

Confusion lies in all my words.

II. Soil’s Song (Krister Linder 2012 Remix)

Moving through a bitter smile, playing with deceit within a lack of trust…has it rendered us
obsolete?

It’s a funeral procession of winds…

Catatonic lungs…
No smell but this raw cloud of self-disgust…and a poor lamentation.

Luna, rape me of my dignity once more and replace it with dirt from the
valley of death. There is no such thing as living, only this moment that shall last
as long as my mind is my might. Only this memory…nothing else is real. Nothing
else can touch me.

Release the glow.

III. Unfurl

Flashing back to her fragile, tranquil sapphire blue eyes gazing into mine…I can’t tell if it is her or I that cannot move. Everything around us is moving slower than it should…Her mouth quivered like a naked wolf in a blizzard, and her slim fur jacket I’d given her over a year ago must be keeping her warm, for I mustn’t. She kissed my lips, with the look in her eyes pleading forgiveness, begging for a response…and it was this moment a lone, solemn tear drifted down her right cheek. The wind brushing against her hair ignited the scent that sent us back to when the world was filled with lights, and only pure shadows slid inside us. It’s been eight minutes since I forgot to breathe, and I poured myself into her. We collapsed to our knees in each other’s arms…and I felt something wet on my hand. I reached back and held it up towards the sliver of light in the alley, and saw nothing but vermillion. I quickly looked back to where my hand was and saw a bullet wound deep in her stomach, and swiftly looked to her face. Again her eyes gazed purely into mine, her quivering mouth attempting to smile. With only the passive tone of sorrow and horror, she whispered, “I’m sorry…I lo-“

I just listened to Unfurl and I agree with everyone else, it fucking rules. I don't have any albums by this band except Dance of December Souls., but now I really want to get some more.This Message Edited On 01.10.09

These reviews make more sense with each one that you post. They're pretty damn good. The artwork for all the EPs (Mainly this one and My Twin)are really nice as well.

Oh, I've heard The Great Cold Distance and you were right, I do like it. I'd like to look into their older stuff to see how vastly they've changed etc. What's the best to start with for that area?This Message Edited On 01.11.09